University Marketing and Communication

It is La Salle University tradition for a graduating student to deliver the Commencement address. William Hash, who received his Master of Business Administration degree, was selected as this year’s speaker for La Salle’s Graduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 17, 2013.

Hash saw his selection as Commencement speaker as both a privilege and a responsibility. “I don’t believe I am any more special than the other graduates,” he said. “I am so honored that I was selected to represent the graduate students.” Hash was chosen among the graduate students who applied and presented their speeches to the La Salle Commencement speaker selection committee.

This was the second degree Hash has earned from La Salle—he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2007. Since completing his undergraduate degree, Hash has worked in a variety of jobs in the casino industry. Since 2009, he has served as a slot operations manager at Caesars Atlantic City, supervising both management and front-line employees in the casino’s slot department.

When Hash decided to pursue his MBA, La Salle was an obvious choice, even if it meant commuting from Atlantic City. “I have a crazy work schedule, so I needed a part-time program,” he said. “Even with the commute, La Salle’s program was the most convenient option for me.”

With a specialization in finance, Hash hopes to eventually work in the financial services industry, preferably with a company with an international scope. “Although I enjoy all areas of business, finance, and especially international finance, really just stuck with me.”

As an MBA student, Hash gained exposure to the global business world through travel/study courses with Walt Schubert, Ph.D., professor of finance. Last year, he traveled to Beijing and Shanghai, and, this month, he traveled to Hong Kong and Singapore. In fact, he returned from his latest trip the night before he delivers his Commencement address.

“I greatly enjoyed all the travel opportunities I’ve had at La Salle,” Hash said. “What I learned in the classroom, I am immediately able to see first-hand in another country.”

“Bill is the prototype of what any professor would want in an MBA student. He will take a question or a thought and run it through his knowledge base to figure out an answer or ask a great question,” Schubert said. “When Bill asks questions or makes comments, it’s not to hear himself talk; it always enlightens the discussion and leads to a much richer understanding of the issues at hand.”